


Bones

by sullacat



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cats, Dogs, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pet Store, San Francisco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-17
Updated: 2012-07-17
Packaged: 2017-11-10 04:13:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/462084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sullacat/pseuds/sullacat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One day, someone walks into Leonard McCoy's bakery. Everything is different after that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bones

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Silent_So_Long](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silent_So_Long/gifts).



> No infringement intended. Written as a pinch hit for the Livejournal Mccoy_and_Kirk 's Spring Fling challenge for the lovely [Metallikirk](http://archiveofourown.org/users/MetalliKirk/pseuds/MetalliKirk). As it happens, today is her birthday, so I hope this makes her day just a little bit better. 
> 
> prompt: _An AU where Bones works in a bakery and isn't looking for love, until Jim starts popping in the bakery all the time doggedly pursuing him._ I went a bit off-track with the prompt, but I like where it went, and I hope the prompter does as well! 
> 
> My thanks to Altilis and Kinderjedi for their assistance and eyes. ♥♥♥

* * *

_April 2_

Leonard had just taken a cookie sheet out of the oven when the store bell rang. Dropping the hot tray on a cooling rack, he pulled off his mitts and smiled at the customer entering, escaping the rain that had been coming down steadily all day . "Welcome to Bones," he said, offering a polite smile. "Mrs Miller, what can I get for you today?"

Thirty years ago, Mrs Miller had been a shining jewel on the drag scene here in San Francisco. She no longer performed, but continued to dress elegantly, her face carefully painted, not a hair out of place on her ashy blonde wig. She beamed back at him, closing her umbrella as she approached the counter. "Hello dear, so good to see you." Her eyes traveled all along the glass top, eying the goodies inside. "I'm going out of town next week, and I promised Phoebe that I'd leave a bag of goodies with her, to make her less lonely, you know. She does love those little cheese nips."

"One of my favorites, too," he grinned, reaching for a small bag, and scooping up some small baked squares. The door chime rang again, and Leonard saw a young man walk in. "Welcome to Bones," he told him, then turned his attention back to Mrs Miller, reaching for another small bag. "We've also got a new treat we're trying, sweet potato chips. I'm gonna give you a sample bag, and you tell me how Phoebe likes them, okay?"

"You are the sweetest thing, Leonard," she told him, her overly made-up face lighting up as she talked to him, paying for her purchase. "I'm sure she'll adore them, she loves everything you make her." 

"Bring her next time, so I can say hi," Leonard said, handing her a small bag, teal green with a white bone stamped on the side. "And have a safe trip."

"Will do, darling. Ta!" Nodding at the young man, she turned and left, the chime jingling behind her. 

Leonard turned to help the young man when a buzzer went off in the back. "Give me a sec, okay?" he asked, jogging back to the ovens. He brought out another tray, dropping it quickly on the cooling rack. "Sorry about that, nothing smells worse than burnt-"

But the store was empty. Leonard looked around, he hadn't even heard the bell go off again, but it must have, because the kid was gone. "Okay," he said to himself, heading back to the kitchens. Rainy days were always slow days, and maybe he could get a couple more batches done before closing time.

* * *

 _April 6_

"Welcome to -" Leonard began, straightening out the racks of dog apparel in the front of his store. "Oh, hello again." It was the kid from the other day, the day it was raining. Leonard had just chalked it up to someone ducking inside from the rain, but maybe not - here he was again, in his bakery. 

"Hi." Closer to the kid, Leonard could see that he wasn't really a kid. Mid-late twenties, maybe, but The Castro trended young, and every year Leonard felt older and older than these children running around half-naked, bolder and louder every year. 

"What can I get for you?" Leonard asked, fiddling with the little dog sweaters and fancy collars.

"What do you got?" the man asked curiously, glancing over at the counter. He seemed intrigued by everything he saw.

"We make all our dog treats ourselves, here on the premises. Everything is all-natural, organic, our eggs and meats all come from cruelty-free producers." There was something on the kid's face, an amusement (in the bluest eyes he'd ever seen) that told Leonard he wasn't like some of these other young activist professional around here, who gave a shit about those things. "We make damn good dog treats, I promise your dog's never had better." Stepping back to the counter, he asked, "So what sort of dog do you have?"

"Pardon?"

"Your dog... what breed?" Leonard asked. "How big is she? Or he?"

"Oh, um, she's a golden retriever," the young man answered.

"Ah, one of my favorite breeds, such sweet dogs. She like peanut butter?" Leonard grinned. 

"Um- yeah, she loves it," he said, smiling back at him. 

Leonard tossed a couple peanut snaps into a small bag, handing them to his customer. "Then here, try these." The young man reached for his wallet. "Nope, on the house," Leonard told him. "Friendly sample, I promise she'll beg you for more. We've also got bowls and leashes and all sorts of things your pet might need." 

"Your boss won't get mad?" he asked, looking a little worried, looking at the bag.

Leonard hooted. "He's an ass, but he loves animals, and just wants them all to be healthy and happy. He'll be okay." 

"Well... thanks," the kid said, taking the bag with a smile. "I'm sure I'll be back." He tucked the small bag into his shoulder messenger bag, and headed out the door.

* * *

 _April 10_

"Leonard... Leonard, are you still here?"

Picking up his head, Leonard looked up from the computer screen to answer. "Office," he called out.

Christine shook her head once she found him. "It's after seven."

"I know," he murmured. "I just wanted to get some inventory finished. How's the poodle?"

"She's resting quietly." The blonde woman leaned against the door, tiredly. "You did a good job with those lacerations."

Leonard grunted. "Glad she got here in time. I'd have hated to tell those kids that we lost their dog." Looking up, he frowned. "What are you still doing here, Chapel?"

"Just finishing up charts." Stepping into his office, she sat down. "I gotta admit, I was hoping after you hired a third veterinarian things might slow down around here, but it's just as busy as it was before Geoff got here." 

Leonard frowned, worried. "You know, the bakery is just a hobby," he told her. "If it's taking up too much of my time-"

Christine snorted. "It is not just a hobby, and don't say that. You love that little shop over there."

"This practice comes first." 

"We're doing fine, Len, we're just busy. And busy is good, right?"

"Busy is good," he repeated. 

"And you can finish those tomorrow," she told him, pointing at the papers on his desk

Flipping the monitor off, he stood. "Yes, Doctor Chapel." 

She smiled at him, taking his arm as they left his office. "Len, you are young, single, and healthy. You have a professional job and are too damn handsome for your own good. You live and work in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in this city, hell in this whole country." She pushed gently on his arm. "Go out and have some fun tonight. Go to a bar. Hell, go to a club." 

Shaking his head at her, Leonard walked her to the back door and out to her car. "Those places aren't my scene, you know that." 

"Go to a movie then," Christine tried. "Just get out of your place for a few hours." 

"Maybe I will," he told her, both of them knowing he wouldn't. "Tell Janny I said hey."

"I will," she said, and Leonard watched her drive off before heading back into the building. He checked on the animals boarding overnight, making sure the poodle was comfortable before heading up the stairs to his apartment.

* * *

 _April 11_

"Retriever, right?"

The young man was back, Leonard was happy to see. "Oh yeah," he said, stepping closer to the counter and grinning at Leonard. "She loved'em, gobbled them all up." 

Leonard gave him a smile, genuinely glad to hear that. "Great. I'm glad she liked them. Can I get you anything else today?"

The young man looked around. "How 'bout some of those?" he asked, pointing at some larger biscuits on the bottom. 

"These are very popular, banana and flax seed," Leonard said, snapping open a small bag. "How many?"

"Four," he said, "and a couple of those."

Leonard stuck some of the honey-wheat snaps into the bag. "These oughta keep her happy for a few days." 

"I'm sure they will." The young man pulled out his wallet and paid for the dog biscuits, and Leonard handed him the bag. "See you soon."

* * *

 _April 16_

"Bones?" Leonard was reaching for a loaf of bread when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Bones Bakery?" 

Turning, he spotted a familiar face. "Lady's dad, right?" Leonard had spotted the young man in the shop a couple times in the last week, turning into a regular customer. 

"Good memory. It's Jim, actually. Jim Kirk," he said, holding out his hand. 

"Leonard McCoy." He shook Jim's hand, firm grip, and grinned at the contents of his basket: some frozen pizzas and canned soup. "Not much for cooking, Jim?"

Jim tossed his head back, laughing. "I'm more of a heat'em up and eat sort of guy. How are you doing?" 

"Not bad, just running out of a few things." They walked down the aisle, Leonard tossing some barbeque sauce into his basket. "You new in the neighborhood? I don't think I've seen you around much, outside the shop." 

"Not long, I moved here a couple months ago. I live over on Seward, but I work over here in the evenings, so sometimes I come early so I can just hang out, people watching." 

"This is the right place for that," Leonard said as they walked, both of them approaching the front register. "There's no city like San Francisco, and there's no neighborhood like The Castro."

"I'm learning that." Jim seemed to be looking over his groceries, and Leonard arched an eyebrow at him. "Looking for anything that might melt." Turning back to him, Jim grinned, "But I don't see any, so I thought I'd ask if I could buy you a cup of coffee."

"Right now?"

"Yeah, I've got an hour until I've gotta be at work." Glancing across the street at one of the neighborhood coffee shops, Jim pointed at it with his head. "Yes?"

It was on the tip of his tongue to decline the offer, when he heard himself say, "Yeah, I'd like that." He didn't have anywhere to be, and it was just some coffee with a (very nice looking) customer. 

They placed their order with Syd, the burly owner with tattoos all over, and then sat down at one of the tables in the back. "Where do you work?" Leonard asked, tucking his grocery bags out of the way. 

"City College," Jim answered, his long legs stretched out in front. "There's a campus over on Church Street, in the evenings." 

"A professor?"

"Not yet," Jim laughed, "but soon, maybe. Working on it, but still got another year or so." 

"What do you teach?"

"Computer programming. This semester it's Elements of Software Construction and a couple language classes - Java, Basic, C+." 

Leonard was impressed. "Some computer genius?"

But Jim just chuckled quietly. "Not exactly," he said, his face a little flushed.

At that moment, Syd walked over with their coffees. "Here you go, Doc," he said, giving Leonard his regular dark roast, "and for you," he winked at Jim before heading back. 

"Syd likes you," Leonard chuckled, taking a sip and leaning back. "That's good."

But Jim looked confused. "Did he just call you Doc?"

"He did," Leonard nodded, sitting up again. "Syd's got a couple ferrets who come by the office for their annual shots. Doctor Leonard McCoy, DVM," he offered his hand to Jim, mockingly. "You didn't know I was-"

"A doctor?"

"A veterinarian. Most of the time. The bakery is sort of a pet project of mine," he paused, "no pun intended." Taking a drink, he stared at Jim. "You didn't know that."

"I didn't know that. Always see you at the shop. The vet clinic next to the bakery, that's yours?"

"Yep."

Jim laughed. "Just thought you'd got lucky finding that storefront right next door. So, a vet." He glanced down at Leonard's hands, not leering but in a way that had Leonard's face feeling warm. "Animals."

"Lots of them." Leonard took another sip from his coffee. "So, out of curiosity, where do you go?"

"Pardon?"

"Your vet. For your Lady. "

Jim hesitated, thinking. "Oh, um, old friend of the family. My brother used him, over in the Mission District." 

"Well, if you ever need someone closer, you know where to find me."

Jim took another sip, his eyes twinkling as Leonard spoke. "I guess I do."

It wasn't long before Jim had to leave. As much as Leonard enjoyed the coffee, he politely turned down Jim's request for dinner that night, saying he had other plans. Walking home, he thought about what Christine had told him. This was an amazing neighborhood, full of life and energy and freedom, people not ashamed to hold hands and kiss whomever wanted. It was what drew him to the neighborhood. That, and Christopher, who'd first shown him all of this. 

No one judged you here, and yet... aside from a few unsatisfying one-night stands, Leonard spent his evenings alone. It was hard being a private sort of man in this place. And he wasn't hiding, no. Leonard had convinced himself that he wasn't hiding from anything. Or anyone.

* * *

 _April 18_

"Doctor McCoy? There's someone in the shop who wants to talk to you. A guy." 

"Is he upset about something?" Leonard asked, looking up from his patient, a cocker spaniel having a post-op visit.

"I don't think so," Gaila pulled on one of her long red curls. "He's gorgeous, though. My God, those eyes..." she added, making an obscene noise. 

Christine coughed, and Leonard looked over at her. "Doctor Chapel, can you finish removing these sutures for me?"

"Of course, Leonard. Good luck." 

"There's nothing to be wishing good luck..." he muttered, then just stopped talking as he removed his gloves. Walking down the short corridor that connected the two businesses, he stepped through the bakery kitchen and into the shop, where Jim was standing. "Hey Jim," he said, walking over to him. "Can I help you?"

"Look at you, wearing a lab coat and everything, Doctor McCoy." Jim's face looked impressed. "Sorry, I hadn't meant to disturb you, take you away from your patients."

"Didn't disturb me," Leonard answered, a little warmed by that smile. "What can I do for you?"

Jim looked over at Gaila, who grinned and excused herself. "My last class tonight was cancelled, so I thought I would see if you wanted to meet for dinner." 

"Look, Jim," Leonard began, hesitating. It was flattering, the young kid wanting to spend time with him, but ultimately not a good idea.

Jim lifted his hand. "Hear me out... I had a good time talking to you the other day. It was fun, you know? Thought we could do it again. Just some food, some conversation," he added, though that expression on his face said he might be interested in some more. 

"Dinner." Leonard nodded, then relaxed a bit. _Why not_ , he thought. Maybe it was time. "Yeah, I'd like that. When do you want to do it?"

Jim's face lit up again. "Seven sound good?" Leonard agreed, giving Jim his phone number and watched as Jim entered the digits into his phone, smiled at him, and left. 

 

They met at Dao's, a Thai place that Leonard liked. The interior was dark and cool, a juxtaposition to the loud heat of The Castro, and stepping inside was like stepping into another world, full of spices and rich tapestries. 

Their fish cakes were also amazing. Settling into a booth, they began going over the menus, though Leonard already knew what he was ordering. "Sort of set in your ways already, eh?" Jim teased, his eyes darting all over the pages. 

"I know what I like," Leonard grumped jokingly. "Nothing wrong with that. Guess you're the adventurous type?"

"Never order the same thing twice, if I can help it."

Leonard laughed, then ordered his usual when the waitress came, pra-ram with lamb, while Jim ordered a red curry. "How are your classes going?" he asked, thanking the waitress as she brought their beers. "I bet you're everyone's favorite teacher." 

Jim laughed. "They're okay, close enough to the end that everyone sees the light at the end of the tunnel. They seem to like me enough... no one outright hates me this semester."

"Can't imagine that."

"I'm fun but I'm not an easy A, like some of the kids think."

"I got news for you, Jim. Your grading policy is not why these kids sign up for your classes." Taking a sip from his beer, he snorted lightly. "I sure didn't have any professors that looked like you. And if I had, I'd have been in class everyday, too." Jim's cheeks flushed at that, and Leonard felt a heady sort of tingle at making this attractive man blush. It was nice.

They talked all throughout dinner, about their lives, their jobs. "You don't sound like you're originally from California," Jim asked, taking a bite of his meal. "What brought you to San Francisco?"

"Divorce first, then I met someone. He liked this neighborhood well enough, but in the end I was the one who stayed." That relationship had been harder to end than the divorce, and deep down Leonard knew that it was silly to shy away from being close to someone else again, just because his heart had been broken. Happened to people everyday... but the fact was, Leonard hadn't wanted to be close to anyone, not in a long time.

But now... 

After dinner they walked down the street, brushing shoulders on the crowded road, the bars and clubs coming alive once the sun went down. "I had a great time," Jim said as they approached the corner where they parted ways. "Thanks for joining me tonight."

"Thanks for asking," Leonard murmured, trying to remember the last time he felt this nervous. He wasn't a kid, for fuck's sake, but maybe Christine was right - he needed to do this more often.

He was about to put out his hand when Jim leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Good night, Doc," he murmured, squeezing the tips of Leonard's fingers in his hand before pulling back, with the smallest of smiles, and walking up the street toward his place. 

Leonard stood there for a moment longer, his heart beating loud in his chest. He watched Jim walk until he couldn't see him anymore, then turned and headed back to his home. 

 

It had been a long time since Leonard had gotten home this late. "Baby, I'm home," he called out as the door closed behind him. When there was no response, he continued onto the kitchen, carrying his leftover food with him. "Look, I didn't know I was gonna be gone this late. I'm sorry." 

It wasn't until he opened the fridge that he heard the soft _thump_ behind him. "You're not supposed to be on the counter," he murmured, turning to see his cat sitting there, sleek and black with green eyes that were boring into him. "I'm allowed to stay out late once in awhile," he murmured, offering his hand, pleased to see Spock headbutt his hand, a sort of forgiveness for the tardiness with his dinner. "How 'bout I make it up to you with a fishie?" he asked, scratching behind his cat's ears.

Spock's expression didn't change, but he did gobble up his two of the fresh anchovies Leonard had tucked in the fridge, then followed Leonard into the living room. 

Leonard wasn't a technological idiot, but he didn't feel the need to share any information about himself on the internet. A short-lived marriage and nasty divorce taught him the value of privacy a long time ago, that there wasn't any need to let others know about his life. So no Twitter, no Facebook, nothing like that, although Bones Bakery had a cute web page that his office manager set up and maintained.

But he knew how to Google and he was still curious about his dinner companion, so after pouring himself a glass of bourbon, he opened his laptop and typed Jim's name. It didn't take long before he found a couple entries about him: his faculty page at the college, links to some writing awards he won in college, back in Iowa.

Leonard also found a blog, "Enterprising Young Man" that Jim wrote, filled with entries about graduate school and his life. Spock jumped onto his lap, having forgiven Leonard for being late with dinner, and looked at the computer screen while Leonard read. 

> **Enterprising Young Man**
> 
>  
> 
> I was a good student, popular, athletic. A mask, but as far as high school went, a decent enough facade. I vowed that I wouldn't hide my sexuality in college, never again pretending to be someone I wasn't.
> 
>   
>   
> 
> 
> What a noob, right? And what was that hair?
> 
> But coming out after I graduated cost me some friends, some family. Though he won't say it, I think it contributed to the distance between my brother and me. So does it really 'Get Better'? Yes it does... and no, it doesn't.
> 
> * * *
> 
> I see the students around here, walking around so free and open about who they are and I'm happy for them - but I worry that it's so open and so available here. When they leave this warm blanket of acceptance, are they ready for the harsh realities that lie out there? The world is not The Castro, though how much fun it would be if it were...
> 
>   
> 
> 
> The guys who own this house I'm renting from can't be legally married here in this state, even though they love each other more than any two people I've ever met, my family included. It's perplexing to me that they both come from cultural backgrounds (Russian and Japanese) where in the past, this nation hated them without knowing them. But now they are known, productive and honorable members of our country... and still hated for who they are.
> 
>   
>   
> 
> 
> Aren't they cute?  
>  They are the perfect example of why it's so hard, and why its worth it.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Sam and I had been close once, or so the family stories go. But the older we got, the less we seemed to have in common. Once we were grown and on our own, there was nothing to tie us together, and days turned into weeks, months without a word from each other. It became and still is the norm.
> 
>   
>   
> 
> 
> I grieve what we had, though I don't miss what I never knew.
> 
> He wrote me yesterday to tell me he's re-enlisted for another tour. No word for almost a year, and then this sudden bit of information. I don't even know how he got my email address, and I haven't responded yet. Might be too late, he could be gone.
> 
> * * *

Jim was a mystery... intelligent, handsome, utterly appealing on so many levels. But Leonard couldn't figure out why he felt that Jim was one of the loneliest people he knew.

* * *

 _April 21_

"This is a great space," Jim said, as he walked around Leonard's loft. "And you converted it yourself?"

Leonard nodded. They'd met again for dinner, then after Leonard explained how he lived above the clinic, he found himself offering to show Jim how he had renovated the space. "I really got a great deal on the building," he said, pride in his voice at Jim's words. It wasn't a lot of square footage, but all opened up, there was room for his large bed in the corner, a big television, a comfortable sofa, and a full kitchen, where he came up with most of his recipes. "Remind me to show you the rooftop some time."

"Oh, I'll remind you all right," Jim laughed. All of a sudden, he stopped as a black cat leapt down from a bookshelf onto the dining table, looking up cautiously at Jim. "You have a cat?" Jim grinned, stroking the back of Spock's head. 

"I do. This is S'chn T'gai Spock. He's a purebred Vulcan." 

Jim's lips quirked. "That's quite a name. Very pretty." 

"Handsome," Leonard said, offering Jim a bottle of beer. "Spock is a boy, so he's handsome." Leonard didn't like admitting how much he loved his cat. "He's got a pedigree a mile long, came with that fancy name." He paused, stroking the tips of Spock's ears. "He was a gift."

"Quite a gift," Jim answered. "I know someone else who's handsome," Jim added, stepping closer to Leonard. "Anyone ever tell you that you have great eyes?"

Leonard just stared back at Jim, feeling his face get warm. It was hard, being the object of this focused attention, the way Jim looked at him. Eventually the corners of his mouth curled up, and he couldn't help the smile. "Thank you." He stepped back, walking toward another staircase. "Let me show you upstairs."

The roof was Leonard's pride and joy. He'd cleaned it up, put some wooden benches in, some plants and small container trees. This time of night, the street below them was full of people, and out in the distance, downtown San Francisco was lit up like a jewel. Jim took another drink from his beer bottle, looking around. "This is amazing," he said, his voice low. "I would have never guessed all this was up here." Glancing over the edge, he turned back to Leonard. "I didn't expect this from you."

Leonard looked around again, the hustle and bustle of the Castro loud, people all over the place downstairs. Smiling to himself, he guessed he understood what Jim meant. "Don't know how I ended up here, other than just landing in the right place at the right time." 

"Couldn't have happened to a better guy." Jim opened his mouth to say something else, then shook his head. "I'd better be going. Thank you for showing me this." 

Leonard nodded, a pit of confusion and disappointment in his stomach. He didn't want Jim to leave, but it was too soon, wasn't it? The fact that he was even _thinking_ about it being too soon for something was new and-

"Leonard?" He looked over to see Jim staring at him, and realized he'd drifted a thousand miles away. Jim was standing in front of him, so close he could smell him. "You okay?"

"Don't go." Leonard looked up into those eyes, not sure how to phrase what he was feeling, other than those two words.

But Jim seemed to understand. "You sure?" he asked, his blue eyes huge right now in the moonlight. 

Leonard bent his head and kissed Jim, soft and slow, his hand snaking around Jim's shoulder as he felt Jim's hands slide across his back. Tugging on Jim's hands, they made it downstairs and into Leonard's bed, most of their clothing coming off along the way. Leonard felt lighter than air as they kissed and touched, smiling and groaning, and when Jim pushed him back lightly, he tumbled down backward onto his bed, arms stretched wide as Jim crawled above him, kissing his neck, his jaw, his chest. 

As soon as Jim lowered his body, Leonard reached around, holding him with one arm and rolled them over, so that he was on top, Jim's strong body below him. The wide grin on Jim's face, and the hard cock pressing into his thigh told Leonard that they both were enjoying this, and when Leonard's hand found Jim's cock, those blue eyes fluttered closed as he pumped with each stroke. 

Then Jim's hand was on Leonard's cock and their mouths found each other again. Groaning and grunting, Leonard knew he was going to come first, and it wasn't long before he bit down on Jim's shoulder, shuddering. His own hand paused only briefly before he continued stroking Jim's long cock, finding that rhythm that Jim seemed to like. Jim's face contorted, almost a grimace, and when he came Leonard brushed their lips together, hearing Jim's soft whine, his hand wet and warm. 

 

For a few minutes, neither man spoke. "Hey." Jim reached out and touched his cheek. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Leonard rolled onto his back, stretching as Jim got up and headed to the bathroom. Leonard could hear the faucet turn on and off, then Jim head back to his bed, perched on the edge. "So, I guess..."

"You need to go?"

Jim laughed, one hand resting on Leonard's thigh. "Don't _need_ to." Another look at Leonard, seeing the unspoken question in his eyes. "You sure?"

Leonard nodded, reaching out for Jim. "C'mere," he said, pulling Jim close until they were both laying down. Arms wound around each other, legs tangled, and Leonard chucked contentedly to himself, trying to remember the last time he allowed himself to do this, just lay here, lazily, with someone he really didn't know all that well. Jim turned out to be a snuggler, resting his head against Leonard's shoulder, nosing his chest while Leonard traced the well-defined muscle of Jim's arm. "What about Lady?"

"Hmm?"

"She's gonna be okay, you spending the night over here?"

"Oh, yeah. I sent the guys downstairs a text, they got her."

_Good_ , Leonard thought, closing his eyes, Jim's scent new but comforting. He could hear Spock settling on the edge of the bed, and felt Jim smiling to himself, as the arms tightened around him, and he fell asleep.

* * *

_April 23_

It had been a couple days since he'd seen Jim, since that morning they woke up together, Jim's arms wrapped around Leonard, spooning him. They'd showered together (Leonard on the receiving end of one of the best blow jobs he'd ever had), nothing awkward or uncomfortable about the situation, then Jim had left to go home.

It was a bright and clear Saturday morning, usually when Leonard liked to go grocery shopping, as most of the neighborhood's residents were slept late, courtesy of some late night partying. But today, Leonard was down in his bakery, putting together an assortment of crisps and biscuits in a bag. He'd never admit to being nervous, but there was a sense of trepidation, the idea of surprising Jim with breakfast for him and his dog.

Maybe the beautiful weather was coloring his mood, but Leonard couldn't remember feeling this good, not in a long time. When he and Christopher parted ways, it hadn't been contentious or combative; just two men who drifted apart and couldn't make it work anymore. Leonard's heart had been hurt, yes, but why did he think that it was all over? 

Jim was funny and smart and going somewhere. Ambitious, but in this laid back sort of way that Leonard found very comfortable. It was fast, he _knew_ this was happening fast, but... maybe this, with Jim, this was his chance to find someone special again. 

He stopped off at the other bakery on the corner, the one that catered to two-legged creatures, grabbing an assortment of baked goods and two coffees. Jim had mentioned he'd lived on Seward Street, near the famous concrete slides, so he headed in that direction, looking at the houses until he found the one that fit the description Jim had given him. 

He was right, the guys who owned the house really did like gardening. The small front lawn was covered in trellises and raised beds, green beans and tomatoes and squash, some honest-to-God corn growing tall over on the side of the house. Leonard found a little path around back and the stairs that led to the third floor apartment. Balancing both the coffee tray and bags in one hand, he knocked on the door, and couldn't remember the last time he did something spontaneous like this.

It was a long moment before Jim answered. "Hey," he said, rubbing his eyes. His hair was sticking up in the back, and Leonard guessed he'd caught him still in bed. "What time is it?"

"Wake up, you," he grinned, holding up the bag and the coffee. "I come bearing food."

Once the haze of sleep lifted off Jim's face, his eyes lit up. "You brought me food?" he asked, the small smile turning into a full grin as he looked over at Leonard. "C'mon in," he said, opening the door wider. "I can't believe you did that," he added, though the tone of his voice told Leonard that he was really touched.

"And not just you," he said, placing the food on Jim's small dining table. "These are for your girl." He looked around. "Where is she? I'd like to meet her." 

That's when Jim's face froze. He stepped back, scrubbing his face with one hand, and for a brief moment Leonard worried that something was wrong. Then Leonard realized that something _was_ wrong, but not the way he had thought. 

Things started snapping into place. The hesitations when he spoke of her, the way he never mentioned her, no pictures on his blog, no stories. "You don't have a dog, do you?"

Jim's face... something in his eyes, like a light being snuffed out. Caught in his lie. "Look Len, it's not like I-" But then he stopped, maybe realizing that none of his magic words worked here. "No, I don't. I'm really sorry." 

"Yeah, me too." It probably wouldn't have been such a big deal to anyone else, lying about pet ownership. Maybe it was because he worked with animals everyday. Maybe it was just that sense that no one could be trusted, not even with something this small. All Leonard knew was that he'd felt kicked in the stomach, almost overwhelmed by this disappointment. 

Leonard looked down at his feet, and turned to walk away. "I'd like to explain," Jim called out to him. 

"I don't care," Leonard replied, leaving the food behind, and not looking back as he walked down the street.

* * *

 _April 25_

Leonard stopped off at the store to pick up some new ingredients before heading up to his home. Seeing Jim sitting on the step outside the clinic didn't completely surprise him. "Shop opens at nine tomorrow morning," he murmured as he tried to step past Jim. "Though we sell pet supplies, so I can't imagine what-"

Jim stood, blocking Leonard's way. "I said I was sorry." 

"You said a lot of things." He shifted his groceries from one hand to the other. "Just out of morbid curiosity, were any of them true?"

"This was true," he murmured, touching Leonard's face, his face falling as Leonard pulled back. "You and me, that was true, I promise. The dog story..." Jim shrugged. "I'm good with words, sometimes too good. They come easy, even when they're not true." He chuckled, a bitter note in his voice. "Sometimes especially when they're not true." 

"Why did you lie to me?"

"It wasn't all a lie, not in the beginning, not really..." Jim looked up at Leonard's door. "Can we talk?"

A few long moments passed before Leonard turned toward the door. He unlocked it, pushing it open with his shoulder, and headed inside, leaving it open for Jim to follow. They walked up the stairs to the apartment above without speaking. 

Dropping the bags off on the kitchen table, Leonard pulled two beers out of the fridge before walking into the living room, where he found Jim gently stroking the back of Spock's neck. "He likes you," Leonard told him, watching the two of them gazing at each other. Spock was such a picky cat, he didn't let many people near him. Even Chris had ended up with a couple scars. "So," he sat down on one of his chairs, away from the sofa they'd been on last week, kissing and touching each other. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry about lying to you. I never thought that anything would ever happen between us, and when I first told you I had a dog, it didn't seem like a big deal. Just some small talk, an excuse to talk to you."

"You didn't need to lie."

"I know... it just happened. I regret that, but..." Jim took a swing, shrugging. "I've been doing a lot of that lately." 

"Lying?"

"Regretting." Jim's hands folded together. "Something happened, and I'm not all right, and I can't seem to admit that to myself. I lost my brother a couple months ago." Jim's fingers tightened around the neck of his bottle, his voice completely colorless. "There was an ambush outside of Kabul. His unit was hit by an IED, and he didn't make it."

Leonard's face froze. "Oh Jim, fuck... I didn't know. I'm sorry."

Jim nodded. "Thanks. I didn't tell too many people. Most of the guys I know didn't even know I had a brother, so to mention it now would just sound sorta weird. Anyway," he added, continuing, "he worked with a dog over there, they were partners, and the dog was injured, so they're retiring him too. The unit he belonged to asked me about taking his dog, you know, sometimes they let family keep them when these things happen." Jim took a deep breath. "I just... I never owned anything like that, you know?" 

"Where is the dog?"

"He's in Texas, some Air Force base. They're making sure he's suitable for adoption, healthy and all that. And they're waiting for these..." Jim reached into his jacket and pulled out some folded papers, handing them to Leonard. He unfolded them, squinting slightly as he looked down at the tiny print on the official military form, two pages front and back, fairly detailed. _Department of Defence_ , it read on the top. 

"Excess military working dogs," Leonard murmured, reading over the paper. "I guess that's what they're calling them." Jim was very quiet, and Leonard dropped the form on the table. Reaching for Jim's hand, he covered it with his own hand, squeezing lightly. "I'm sorry 'bout your brother, Jim."

"It's not like we were close," Jim shrugged, but he wouldn't look up, his eyes focused on some spot on the floor. Just then, Spock jumped onto the sofa next to Jim, headbutting Jim until he made some room on his lap, curling up and kneading into Jim's leg. Jim rubbed Spock's nose, then looked over at Leonard. "Always thought there'd be more time, you know, to get close again." Leonard didn't know what to say. He moved closer to Jim, their shoulders rubbing against each other, and his hand reaching out to pet Spock, feeling the cat purring loudly as they touched him. "I guess part of me just feels like I owe this to my brother, to take his dog." 

"Guilt is the worst reason to own a pet, Jim. It's a commitment, owning a dog, and this one, your brother's dog... he's like a soldier, you know? He's a hero, and he deserves someone who wants him for him, who wants to love him for him, not out of some misplaced sense of obligation." 

"Isn't that what we all want?" Jim laughed a little bitterly, but there was strong emotion in his voice, that slight break that told Leonard that Jim was just barely holding it together. "I was gonna tell them no, that I couldn't really give myself to someone like that, even a dog. I'm selfish and self-centered and I like being alone. And then I met this guy. Just walked into his shop one day to get out of the rain, and I met the most amazing guy." Jim's hand kept stroking Spock's face gently. "This guy, he doesn't even know how great he is, how his smile just lights up a room. I was going to his shop, buying this shit I didn't even _need_ , just to see him, talk to him for a few minutes each day. Then I starting thinking that it might be nice, to have someone around every day, someone who needed me like I needed him. I'm talking about the dog now, Leonard, don't panic," he added, giving Leonard a sad smile. "Then I thought that maybe that dog needs me. That dog must have loved my brother, right?"

"Of course."

"And I loved my brother too, even if..." Jim got quiet, clearing his throat a few times. "I don't think it's misguided, but I do think I owe that dog a good home. Owe it to Sam, owe it to what we missed out on." Looking over at Leonard, he sighed, taking the papers back. "What do you think?"

"I don't know, Jim," Leonard told him, his voice low. Jim needed to grieve and to heal, and Leonard suspected the dog might need the same. "I'll help you fill these out, though, if you need them." Glancing over the papers again, he added, "You need a veterinarian's signature. I'll be your reference." 

Jim smiled. "You'll be my vet?" When Leonard nodded slowly, Jim's hand rested on Leonard's knee, carefully. "I'm sorry I messed us up."

"Don't worry 'bout that." Leonard's arm wrapped around Jim, all the anger and hurt that had been in his heart. "We're okay." Their hands found each other, fingers linking and Leonard turned his face, his lips brushing against Jim's cheek. "So, what's your dog's name?" he asked, as Spock stood and turned, making himself more comfortable on Jim's lap. 

"Captain." Jim grinned, tilting his head as he looked over at Leonard. "His name is Captain."

"Good name," Leonard answered. He and Jim looked at each other, a sort of understanding in their eyes, and Leonard stood, reaching his hands out to Jim. "Want some dinner?"

Jim nodded, taking Leonard's hand and smiling. "I'll set the table." 

* * *

  


>   
> **Enterprising Young Man**  
>  June 1  
> 
> 
> The Captain, at work  
> 
> 
> The Captain, retired  
> 

* * *

* * *

one year later...

> **Enterprising Young Man**  
>  July 3 
> 
> It's been a long and busy year. So much has happened in the last few months, it's hard to remember what my life was like before all these changes. We had Pavel and Hikaru over for dinner tonight, the first time we've had company since me and the Captain 'officially' moved in. Leonard made some salmon, and it turned out pretty good. He's always surprised when two-legged creatures enjoy his food (and Spock enjoyed a raw morsel or two of fish, judging from his current satisfied expression). 
> 
>   
> 
> 
> In other news, we've got a new website up for the store, adding an online sales component. You can follow along by reading [The Captain's Log](), our new blog that's follows the adventures of Captain Kirk and his first mate Spock as they review Leonard's latest culinary creations and some of the special new products that can be ordered from the shop.
> 
>   
> 
> 
> I'm really proud of Leonard, starting this online venture. It's a big deal, really, branching out like this, and a lot of work for him, more than almost anyone realizes. So, forgive me for pimping my favorite store and my favorite baker.
> 
>   
> 
> 
> ► Click [here]() to like us on Facebook  
>  ► [Follow us](href) on Tumblr  
>  ► Visit [Bones Bakery]() online order form
> 
>   
> 

* * *

* * *

 

 

 

A/N: Since it's Metallikirk's birthday, I thought I'd throw in a mini-mix too!

  
  
[| download zip here |](http://www.mediafire.com/?nuql7fl8m4ru4wd)  


**The Logical Song** (Supertramp)

> But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, responsible, practical.  
>  And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical. 

**Teenage Dream** (Boyce Avenue cover)

> Before you met me I was alright, but things were kinda heavy. You brought me to life. 

**Sex on Fire** (Beyonce cover)

> But it's not forever. But it's just tonight. Oh we're still the greatest, the greatest. 

**Love Remains the Same** (Gavin Rossdale)

> Half the time the world is ending. Truth is I am done pretending.

**Sweet Disposition** (The Tender Trap)

> A moment, a love, a dream, aloud. A kiss, a cry, our rights, our wrongs. 

**The Dog Days are Over** (Florence and the Machine)

> And I never wanted anything from you except everything you had, and what was left after that too.


End file.
